


Azalea

by Styx_in_the_mud



Series: Flower Talk [2]
Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Language of Flowers, M/M, Major character death - Freeform, No happy endings, Terminal Illnesses
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-20
Updated: 2013-10-20
Packaged: 2017-12-29 23:21:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 657
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1011289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Styx_in_the_mud/pseuds/Styx_in_the_mud
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>Azalea- Take care of yourself for me</em>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Azalea

**Author's Note:**

> Sent in by Anonymous

Jim Kirk hated hospitals. They were a harsh, sterile environment, and the blindingly white walls were beginning to give him a headache. He sat in  
one of the uncomfortable plastic chairs in the hospital room, his eyes closed, listening to a soundtrack of beeping machinery.

When Leonard had been diagnosed with cancer, Jim could do nothing more than stare at the diagnostician. He tuned most of it out,  
only catching bits like "Progressed too far", "We can try some treatments", "wouldn't hold out too much hope".  
"How long?" he found himself asking, his voice hoarse, wrapping his arms around his husband, as though holding him close would be enough to make the disease go away.  
"A little over a year"

Bones was in and out of treatment for most of the year. Jim tried to stay close to him as much as possible.  
The cancer hung over their heads like a storm cloud.

14 months later, Jim found himself in a chair next to his husband's hospital bed. Bones didn't the energy to stay awake for long  
periods of time anymore. When they first made Leonard's move to the hospital room permanent, the man had chuckled and said "It's ironic,  
isn't it, the doctor being the patient this time around."  
Jim didn't laugh.

"You should go home, get some rest." said a hoarse voice, pulling Jim out of his thoughts.  
"Not leaving you" he replied sleepily, cracking his eyes open a smidge.  
He thought he heard a small huff of a laugh as he fell back to sleep.

He was next awoken by the sound of the machine flat lining.

There were doctors everywhere, shoving him out of the room, shouting instructions at harried nurses. Jim found himself in the  
waiting room pacing up down. He knew, even before the solemn faced doctor approached him, that Bones was gone.  
"This was on his nightstand" said the doctor handing him an envelope with "Jim" scrawled in Leonard's handwriting obviously written when he was still strong enough to lift a pencil.

Jim didn't know how long he sat in the waiting room chair, staring at the letter, tears streaming down his face, before he took a  
shaky breath and opened the envelope.

" _Dear Jim,_

 _I guess if you're reading this, I didn't make it._  
 _I'm not that surprised, I'm a doctor too, remember, or well, I was-_ "

Jim's breath hitched painfully

" _so I know how to read between all the medical bullshit, I didn't have_  
 _much of a chance anyway. I know everyone's going to tell you the same_  
 _thing 'have hope', 'things will get better soon', 'it'll work out in the_  
 _end' and a whole bunch of other sentimental bullshit._ "

Jim didn't know whether to laugh or cry, it was so typically Bones.

" _But it's going to be tough, and I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry. I never_  
 _wanted to leave you Jim, and I honestly never thought I would._  
 _Especially all those years ago, when we decided to get married. Do you_  
 _remember our wedding Jim?_ "

How could he not, he never thought he could be happier than he was that  
day.

" _I do, there were a lot of flowers. So many flowers. There should be_  
 _flowers at the funeral, don't you think? I'd like that, a whole bunch of_  
 _'em, all kinds of different ones. Just promise me something, okay Jimmy?_  
 _Promise me that you'll take care of yourself. For me. please._  
 _I love you darlin, and I always have._  
 _-Bones_  
 _P.S- You know I never do this sentimental crap, but I left something for_  
 _you, call it a going away present_ "

Jim let out a shaky laugh and turned the envelope over his palm. A small, pressed Azalea fell into his hand. He closed his fingers around  
the flower and leaned back, his head against the wall. " _Take care of yourself. For me._ " He closed his eyes.  
"I'll try, Bones, I promise, I'll try."

**Author's Note:**

> I actually cried while writing this, okay. Comments and reviews appreciated. Send a pairing via AO3 or tumblr (url: Stuckinsidethesnogbox)


End file.
